Although "quality of education" issues are currently popular in educational evaluation, the author argues for an empirically resolvable evaluation paradigm: Given the target population, program goals, and boundary conditions, how do educational treatments compare in terms of learning effects? Agreement on pre-set specifications and the…

Criticizes the Slomczynski and Krauze mobility decomposition theory and its application to the Featherman-Jones-Hauser (FJH) hypothesis. Offers a multiplicative model that addresses the substantive problems of the original research. (FMW)

Argues that G. A. Cziko's conclusions about the inadequacy of mainstream educational research result from misunderstandings of statistical method, philosophy of science, and other topics. Perceptual control theory, which he espouses, may contribute for educational research but its potential does not result from shortcomings of mainstream…

Dismissing research that is not theory driven, hypothesis testing, or generalization producing does injustice to the variety of contributions that qualitative research can make. Studies conducted through qualitative approaches are reviewed to summarize the desirable outcomes that can result. No research model has a monopoly on quality. (SLD)

Acknowledges that early-childhood education is a global practice and examines underlying images of the child. Questions the adequacy of current research to encompass global childhoods, how child development is conceptualized within early-childhood work, and children's status within early-education research and practice. Notes a current paradigm…

Examines the possibility that parent-child relationships contain horizontal qualities paralleling comparable qualities in child-peer relationships. Argues that these qualities allow children to experience and practice horizontal skills later used with peers. Focuses on reciprocity and shared power, especially in parent-child play and control…

Presents two chain-of-choices models, one for adoptive parents and one for birth parents and adoptees, as possible frameworks within which to consider the role of individual differences, choices, and selections in understanding the process of adoption and adoption outcomes. Discusses the research and practice implications following from the…

As learning and performance improvement continues to dominate the training research landscape, so does the need to justify the results of relevant interventions. One area in training research that has continued to elude practitioners and researchers is enhancing the use of trained skills back on the job (i.e., training transfer). Relapse…

It is argued that the debate between qualitative and quantitative research for educational researchers is actually an argument between constructivism and positivism. Positivism has been the basis for most quantitative research in education. Two different things are actually meant when constructivism is discussed (constructivism and…

Profound changes taking place in communities and in universities are bringing researchers and community members new opportunities for joint research endeavors and new problems that must be resolved. In such partnerships, questions about shared decision making--about the ethics of collaboration--arise at every stage: Who decides which problems are…

Directors of Research and Evaluation in school districts were surveyed about their methods in making school enrollment projections. The questionnaire covered school district size, minority enrollment, staff responsibility for performing projections, acceptable levels of accuracy, methodology used, special considerations, and use of the data. Fifty…

This paper presents criteria for establishing the trustworthiness of naturalistic inquiries, and specific techniques to facilitate their achievement or determine the degree of their achievement. The following criteria are briefly described: fairness; and ontological, educative, catalytic and tactical authenticity. Explored in greater detail,…

This paper explores a wide range of issues associated with research on mental models. Based on a functional perspective, mental models are defined as the mechanisms whereby humans generate descriptions of system purpose and form, explanations of system functioning and observed system states, and predictions of future system states. Specifically,…

The changing role of research in curriculum development since the late 1950's is reviewed. Factors are discussed that have affected the prevailing attitudes toward research and its value, including its role in fields other than education and the mixed success with which various research and development models have met in education. Particular…

Because of recent shifts in understanding the nature of knowledge and the process of learning, there may be major and long-lasting changes in the nature of educational research and its role for educators. Since most people understand through the use of metaphor, a metaphor that previously fostered the understanding of research is the assembly line…